Welcome!
Whether you are getting ready for that once in a lifetime trip to jump tarpon or just workin' over the bass in your favorite stock pond, casting instruction with a Certified Casting Instructor can make your fly fishing experience more enjoyable. Harry Crofton, a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Casting Instructor and a Texas Parks and Wildlife licensed freshwater guide, has put together a program of classes and casting clinics that provide something for everyone. Casting instruction is based on the five essential elements of fly casting that make up all casts as identified by Bill Gammell and his late father Jay. Individual and group instruction can be provided.
Equipment
If you don't have any fly fishing gear don't rush out to make a purchase for your class. All equipment is provided. Redington and Sage equipment are used for all classes. A loaner program is also available, enabling you to practice whle you decide on a purchase.
Learning Progression
Fly casting and fishing instruction, like many things, has a series of different levels of proficiency. Classes are structured to start with the basics of a simple cast with the goal of casting 30 feet with good, efficient form. A typical request is from someone that has been invited to go fly fishing with some friends using guides and driftboats. For them the key is to get a good, serviceable 20-to-30-foot pick-up-and-lay-down cast with a 5 or 6 wt that will work from a drift boat so that they can have an enjoyable experience. This sparks a level of interest that requires additional casting skills for fishing drys, nymphs, tandem rigs, mending to get the 'drift' just right, adding length to the cast, learning to 'haul', casting in the wind, casting from technical poling skiffs, and more. Intermediate and advanced instruction are structured to develop a better understanding of the casting fundementals so that additional skills can be added easily.